Former Senate President Pimentel says House musn’t rush federalism

January 20, 2018

Former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr said he believes it will be "tough" for the House of Representatives to pass a bill on federalism as  people would have to know how everything about it.

"I think it will be tough," said Pimentel of the House move to push federalism in three months.

"People must know everything about federalism and why it is needed. It's not because the president is endorsing therefore automatically it is a good thing," he said in an ambush interview after a forum in Quezon City. "That's why it will take more than three months."

Pimentel thinks a federal government may be achieved in the fifth year of President Rodrigo Duterte's six year term. "It should not be rushed," he said.

Pimentel insists that hearings on federalism when both Houses of Congress become a constituent assembly must be held together. The assembly will deliberate on amendments to the 1987 Constitution to change the form of government to federalism.

"I think Speaker ( Pantaleon) Alvarez knows that the House is only one of the chambers of our legislature which must act together in the revision of the Constitution," said Pimentel.

Alvarez said recently that if the Senate insists on separate voting for amending the charter, the House through greater numbers can push it through.

Pimentel said: " I repeat, revision of the Constitution, both Houses must act together."  DMS